Learn about widely-used modes of transportation in Kenya
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| INTRODUCTION |
| Michael: Hi, everyone, I'm Michael. |
| Medina: And I’m Medina! |
| Michael: And welcome to Culture Class: Essential Swahili Vocabulary, Lesson 19! In this lesson you'll learn five essential words related to transportation around town. These are five common modes of transportation in Swahili. Hand picked. You can find a complete list of vocabulary at SwahiliPod101.com. |
Lesson focus |
|---|
| Michael: Medina, what’s our first word? |
| Medina: basi |
| Michael: bus |
| Medina: (slow) basi (regular) basi |
| Michael: Listeners, please repeat: |
| Medina: basi |
| [pause - 5 sec.] |
| Michael: The public bus system is one of the most popular and cheapest modes of transportation in Kenya. For the buses operating within a city and its suburbs and the surrounding towns, the fare is paid on board. But the long distance buses require advance booking, usually at the bus office. |
| Michael: Now let's hear a sample sentence using this word. |
| Medina: (normal) Idadi za basi kufika jijini Nariobi zimeongezeka. |
| Michael: The number of buses to the central business district in Nairobi have increased. |
| Medina: (slow) Idadi za basi kufika jiji la Nariobi zimeongezeka. |
| Michael: Okay, what’s the next word? |
| Medina: treni |
| Michael: train |
| Medina: (slow) treni (regular) treni |
| Michael: Listeners, please repeat: |
| Medina: treni |
| [pause - 5 sec.] |
| Michael: Trains in Kenya mainly serve the main cities and are used for long-distance travel. The long-distance trains are separated into three compartments of first, second, and third class. Train tickets for both long- and short-distance trains can be obtained from the train station or from the local travel agent. |
| Michael: Now let's hear a sample sentence using this word. |
| Medina: (normal) Treni mpya ya kuenda hadi Kismayu inastarehe. |
| Michael: The new train that goes to Kismayu is comfortable. |
| Medina: (slow) Treni mpya ya kuenda hadi Kismayu inastarehe. |
| Michael: Okay, what’s the next word? |
| Medina: ndege |
| Michael: plane |
| Medina: (slow) ndege (regular) ndege |
| Michael: Listeners, please repeat: |
| Medina: ndege |
| [pause - 5 sec.] |
| Michael: Airplanes are the best way to get to distant places in Kenya faster. Kenya offers domestic flights between major cities such as Mombasa, Kisumu, and Eldoret. These flights usually take one hour. Charter planes are also available to smaller cities, games parks, and remote places. |
| Michael: Now let's hear a sample sentence using this word. |
| Medina: (normal) Mwana mziki kwa jina Jaguar amejihami sasa na ndege kuonyesha misuli ya utajiri wake. |
| Michael: The artist by the name of Jaguar has armed himself with a plane to show the muscles of his wealth. |
| Medina: (slow) Mwana mziki kwa jina Jaguar amejihami sasa na ndege kuonyesha misuli ya utajiri wake. |
| Michael: Okay, what’s the next word? |
| Medina: bodaboda |
| Michael: bike taxis |
| Medina: (slow) bodaboda (regular) bodaboda |
| Michael: Listeners, please repeat: |
| Medina: bodaboda |
| [pause - 5 sec.] |
| Michael: Bike taxis are either bicycle or motorbike taxis. They offer cheap and reliable transportation to areas that cannot be easily accessed by public transport. Since they can maneuver through traffic, most people prefer them because they can reach their destination faster. |
| Michael: Now let's hear a sample sentence using this word. |
| Medina: (normal) Igawa bodaboda zinatumika kwa wingi, zimekuwa vyombo vya ajali za barabarani. |
| Michael: Although bike taxis are frequently used, they have become objects of traffic accidents. |
| Medina: (slow) Igawa bodaboda zinatumika kwa wingi, zimekuwa vyombo vya ajali za barabarani. |
| Michael: Okay, what’s the last word? |
| Medina: teksi |
| Michael: taxi |
| Medina: (slow) teksi (regular) teksi |
| Michael: Listeners, please repeat: |
| Medina: teksi |
| [pause - 5 sec.] |
| Michael: Taxis are popular for those who want to control the flexibility of their travel in Kenya. Plenty of taxis are available for short distance travel or one trip across the city or its suburbs at an upfront fee. Cars for hire are readily available at the airport and from car rental companies. |
| Michael: Now let's hear a sample sentence using this word. |
| Medina: (normal) Uzuri wa teksi ni kuwa itakufikisha hadi unakoenda. |
| Michael: Taxis are good because they take you right to your destination. |
| Medina: (slow) Uzuri wa teksi ni kuwa itakufikisha hadi unakoenda. |
| QUIZ |
| Michael: Okay, listeners, are you ready to be quizzed on the words you just learned? Medina will give you the Swahili – please say the English meaning out loud! Are you ready? |
| Medina: basi |
| [pause]Michael: bus |
| Medina: treni |
| [pause]Michael: train |
| Medina: ndege |
| [pause]Michael: plane |
| Medina: bodaboda |
| [pause]Michael: bike taxis |
| Medina: teksi |
| [pause]Michael: taxi |
Outro |
| Michael: There you have it – five frequently-used modes of transportation in Kenya! We have more vocab lists available at SwahiliPod101.com, so be sure to check them out. Thanks, everyone, see you next time! |
| Medina: Kwaheri ya kuonana. |
| Culture Class: Essential Swahili Vocabulary - Lesson 19: Frequently-Used Modes of Transportation |
| Michael: Native English speaker |
| Medina: Native Swahili speaker |
| INTRODUCTION |
| Michael: Hi, everyone, I'm Michael. |
| Medina: And I’m Medina! |
| Michael: And welcome to Culture Class: Essential Swahili Vocabulary, Lesson 19! In this lesson you'll learn five essential words related to transportation around town. These are five common modes of transportation in Swahili. Hand picked. You can find a complete list of vocabulary at SwahiliPod101.com. |
Lesson focus |
| Michael: Medina, what’s our first word? |
| Medina: basi |
| Michael: bus |
| Medina: (slow) basi (regular) basi |
| Michael: Listeners, please repeat: |
| Medina: basi |
| [pause - 5 sec.] |
| Michael: The public bus system is one of the most popular and cheapest modes of transportation in Kenya. For the buses operating within a city and its suburbs and the surrounding towns, the fare is paid on board. But the long distance buses require advance booking, usually at the bus office. |
| Michael: Now let's hear a sample sentence using this word. |
| Medina: (normal) Idadi za basi kufika jijini Nariobi zimeongezeka. |
| Michael: The number of buses to the central business district in Nairobi have increased. |
| Medina: (slow) Idadi za basi kufika jiji la Nariobi zimeongezeka. |
| Michael: Okay, what’s the next word? |
| Medina: treni |
| Michael: train |
| Medina: (slow) treni (regular) treni |
| Michael: Listeners, please repeat: |
| Medina: treni |
| [pause - 5 sec.] |
| Michael: Trains in Kenya mainly serve the main cities and are used for long-distance travel. The long-distance trains are separated into three compartments of first, second, and third class. Train tickets for both long- and short-distance trains can be obtained from the train station or from the local travel agent. |
| Michael: Now let's hear a sample sentence using this word. |
| Medina: (normal) Treni mpya ya kuenda hadi Kismayu inastarehe. |
| Michael: The new train that goes to Kismayu is comfortable. |
| Medina: (slow) Treni mpya ya kuenda hadi Kismayu inastarehe. |
| Michael: Okay, what’s the next word? |
| Medina: ndege |
| Michael: plane |
| Medina: (slow) ndege (regular) ndege |
| Michael: Listeners, please repeat: |
| Medina: ndege |
| [pause - 5 sec.] |
| Michael: Airplanes are the best way to get to distant places in Kenya faster. Kenya offers domestic flights between major cities such as Mombasa, Kisumu, and Eldoret. These flights usually take one hour. Charter planes are also available to smaller cities, games parks, and remote places. |
| Michael: Now let's hear a sample sentence using this word. |
| Medina: (normal) Mwana mziki kwa jina Jaguar amejihami sasa na ndege kuonyesha misuli ya utajiri wake. |
| Michael: The artist by the name of Jaguar has armed himself with a plane to show the muscles of his wealth. |
| Medina: (slow) Mwana mziki kwa jina Jaguar amejihami sasa na ndege kuonyesha misuli ya utajiri wake. |
| Michael: Okay, what’s the next word? |
| Medina: bodaboda |
| Michael: bike taxis |
| Medina: (slow) bodaboda (regular) bodaboda |
| Michael: Listeners, please repeat: |
| Medina: bodaboda |
| [pause - 5 sec.] |
| Michael: Bike taxis are either bicycle or motorbike taxis. They offer cheap and reliable transportation to areas that cannot be easily accessed by public transport. Since they can maneuver through traffic, most people prefer them because they can reach their destination faster. |
| Michael: Now let's hear a sample sentence using this word. |
| Medina: (normal) Igawa bodaboda zinatumika kwa wingi, zimekuwa vyombo vya ajali za barabarani. |
| Michael: Although bike taxis are frequently used, they have become objects of traffic accidents. |
| Medina: (slow) Igawa bodaboda zinatumika kwa wingi, zimekuwa vyombo vya ajali za barabarani. |
| Michael: Okay, what’s the last word? |
| Medina: teksi |
| Michael: taxi |
| Medina: (slow) teksi (regular) teksi |
| Michael: Listeners, please repeat: |
| Medina: teksi |
| [pause - 5 sec.] |
| Michael: Taxis are popular for those who want to control the flexibility of their travel in Kenya. Plenty of taxis are available for short distance travel or one trip across the city or its suburbs at an upfront fee. Cars for hire are readily available at the airport and from car rental companies. |
| Michael: Now let's hear a sample sentence using this word. |
| Medina: (normal) Uzuri wa teksi ni kuwa itakufikisha hadi unakoenda. |
| Michael: Taxis are good because they take you right to your destination. |
| Medina: (slow) Uzuri wa teksi ni kuwa itakufikisha hadi unakoenda. |
| QUIZ |
| Michael: Okay, listeners, are you ready to be quizzed on the words you just learned? Medina will give you the Swahili – please say the English meaning out loud! Are you ready? |
| Medina: basi |
| [pause]Michael: bus |
| Medina: treni |
| [pause]Michael: train |
| Medina: ndege |
| [pause]Michael: plane |
| Medina: bodaboda |
| [pause]Michael: bike taxis |
| Medina: teksi |
| [pause]Michael: taxi |
Outro |
| Michael: There you have it – five frequently-used modes of transportation in Kenya! We have more vocab lists available at SwahiliPod101.com, so be sure to check them out. Thanks, everyone, see you next time! |
| Medina: Kwaheri ya kuonana. |
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